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John Edwards criticized Democratic rival Hillary Rodham Clinton on Thursday for taking more than $20,000 in donations from News Corp. officials, arguing that the company’s Fox News Channel has a right-wing bias and Democrats should avoid the company.

Edwards led the Democratic candidates’ boycott of Fox’s plans to host a Democratic presidential debate. Now he is objecting to News Corp.’s purchase of Wall Street Journal publisher Dow Jones & Co. and highlighting the relationships that Clinton and other rivals have with the company’s executives.

“The time has come for Democrats to stop pretending to be friends with the very people who demonize the Democratic Party,” Edwards said in a statement.

The campaign timed the challenge to come two days before Edwards, Clinton and other candidates are scheduled to appear at a convention of liberal bloggers, who applauded Edwards’ revolt against the Fox-sponsored debate in March.

Most of Murdoch’s donations go to Republicans, but he gave $4,200 to Clinton’s Senate campaign in 2006 and held a fundraiser for her at News Corp.’s midtown headquarters. He also donated $2,300 to her presidential campaign, according to online campaign donation database Political MoneyLine. Murdoch’s son James, who is seen by many as a likely candidate to eventually succeed his 76-year-old father, gave $3,450.

A Political MoneyLine search of donors employed by News Corp. finds $20,900 in donations to Clinton’s presidential bid from nine company attorneys and executives, including Murdoch’s No. 2, Peter Chernin, who gave the maximum $4,600 allowed.

Chernin is a frequent donor to Democratic causes. He’s also contributed $2,100 each to Democratic presidential candidates Barack Obama and Chris Dodd, Political MoneyLine shows.